The goal is to start my grow during winter indoors & in my tent, then transition outside to grow tree size plantsš. Iāve messed this up twice in the past, so I need expert advice.
Last year I had plants in the tent under 12/12 light cycle. Moved outside when daylight was >12 hours yet they budded within days.
This years plan is to grow in tent and transfer in May or June (equinox being 6/21).
What light cycle as seedlings? Light once plants are going? How to manage the light cycle? When to transfer outside? Any tips?
Some cannabis plants are capable of flowering at <15 hours of light per day. Growers use 12/12 to guarantee flowering.
18/6 for both until you intend to flower the plant.
When you are ready to accept the risk that the plant flower if your light cycle is < 15 hours. There is certainly no guarantee that any individual plant will flower on 15/9. Just recognize that some do.
@MidwestGuy has you covered with great info. Only thing I can say is photos can be kept in veg cycle for a long time as long as you keep lights to veg, then when your climate area is set for spring ish then out with her. The longer veg in photo the bigger she will get from what Iāve seen and read.
Photoperiod veg 3-16 weeks with the passability or permanent veg if you have the space. I remember reading people doing this to make a mother plant for clones.
Older seedlings and mature clones can flip to flower pretty quick if you put them out a touch light cycle early. Seedlings in the 3 month window are more forgiving since they are just becoming mature. The old clone cut will always just sit and flower if set out too early. Itās just waiting for an excuse to flower.
I only flower outdoor so I feel you. I used to aim to get the biggest plant out as early as possible. Now I only put them out early on purpose to flower. To make them seed out. My crop plants I never put out anymore until June. I would vehemently say itās not too late until after the solstice. I regularly pop seeds June first. For a regular grow itās late, but not too late. I will pop the seeds I make early and grow them along side their mothers after reveg.
What I am trying to say is that my style has shifted to later starts. The plants get plenty big still but not too big. The bunnies and rats have other things to eat now besides the cannabis. No spring flower accidents, and you do not have to worry about the plants outgrowing your spot. That allows for more variety of plants in the space. Even if you are running one pack, some will do better than others relative to each plant. Now you know which one to clone for next year. Sprouted June 1st they still get 5-6 feet tall.
If you are going for a monster tree then earlier and bigger you grow it the better. But I still wouldnāt put it out until mid May in the northern hemisphere.
I have a photoperiod plant that flowered under 16 hours of light so it happens. It was very annoying too.
The only way you can stop them flowering is to put some lights above them outdoors and make sure they get at least 16 hours of light per day. Get some outdoor LED spotlights and hang one above each plant. Put them on a timer so they come on an hour before sunset and leave them on till late. Maybe put up some colored party lights too so if the neighbors see lights they think you are outside socializing.
This works great for sure. But not always practical if the plug is a half mile from your house. Or you need to be discreet. Lol, I did this exact thing 10 years ago one late spring and my neighbor 3 houses down called me because he thought there was a ufo landing in my backyard (blurple light). I assured him it was just my cannabis.
Anyway, they may flower a bit on you when you put them out. They seem to always respond to a drop in light hours like that with a floral trigger. Like put money on it coming off a long veg light cycle and any drop putting it to less outdoor hours. Especially if you run your veg 20-24 on. Like bet on it.
Just cut off the flowers and hack the plants down to 10-20% their height if they accidentally spring flower a bit. If you wait for them to do it they miss their sun cues and get all confused after the reveg. You donāt want it confused with buds at the solstice. You will have small wispy fall buds.
The root balls are big still, and itās a photo. Donāt be afraid to hack it back. It will re grow properly and surprisingly quick. Those big roots will push up big tops again. Promise. I hypothesize the flower hormones mess with the re veg transition. If you cut them off it gets the cues right away. The new growth is always proper veg.
A few pistils is no biggy, but if buds form at the tops cut back is a must. At least humbly from my experience my friend.
Happy outdoor love.
When moving plants outside itās important to identify if there is any major difference between the light cycle. 12 hours light time is not a magic number that determines whether photoperiod plants will flower or not flower, itās the universally accepted schedule that indoor growers use. If you have a mature plant inside vegging on 18 hours light and move it outside to 14 hours light is enough to move plant to flowering. If you have a plant flowering inside and move it outside to 14 or more hours of light is enough to put plants back into veg.
You also need to consider if days are getting longer or shorter at the point of transitioning your plants outside. You may be able to match the amount of daily light time but have an issue with days getting longer or shorter from the time you move plants.
I see at least a handful of posts here every year that run into issues with this. People start plants in winter spring on 18 hours light. Then take mature plants and move them outside in April/May when they have 14 hours light and plants start flowering. But since daylight hours are still extending these plants eventually go back into veg.
Here too for my outdoor.
Growing monsters in 30 gal pots is a lot more work than most realize.
Usually aim for a late April or early May start for my seeds.
Remember you want to get them adapted to the outdoors, so gradually introduce them to the outdoors . A few hours at a time , extending the time outdoors. Sunlight is a hell of alot stronger than any LED light on the marketā¦
If you are using seeds you could have them on 10-12 hours a day or 16 hours a day for the first month and then put them outdoors. The plants shouldnāt flower because they shouldnāt be sexually mature at that age (1 month). My understanding (someone correct me if Iām wrong) is photoperiod cannabis plants donāt become sexually mature until at least 2 months of age. If this is correct and seems to be for the plants I have played around with, then you could keep them indoors for 6-7 maybe 8 weeks before putting them outdoors and they shouldnāt go into flower mode due to a reduction in light.
But not always practical if the plug is a half mile from your house. Or you need to be discreet. Lol, I did this exact thing 10 years ago one late spring and my neighbor 3 houses down called me because he thought there was a ufo landing in my backyard (blurple light). I assured him it was just my cannabis.